Headlight-reflector.



E. F. WIEDERAHOLDT.

HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED rmzs. 191s. v

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

ERNEST F. WIEDERHOLDT, OF S T. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

HEADLIGHT-REFLECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 11916.

Application filed February 28, 1916. Serial No. 80,917.

p are used on headlights for vehicles.

The main object of my invention is to provide a reflector for vehicle lamps that will throw the rays from the source of light fo wardly, downwardly and laterally, the reflector being so designed that none of the rays will be projected upwardly into a higher horizontal plane than the horizontal plane in which the reflector lies.

Another object is to provide a reflector.

for vehicle lamps which is so designed that all of the rays from the lighting unit will* be utilized and will be distributed in the manner just described without the necessity of arranging a shield over the underside of the lighting unit or blackenin the lower portion of the reflector, as is often done by automobile drivers in order to prevent an intense upward glare from the headlights of an automobile. And still another object is to provide a reflector for automobile h *adlights that will produce an eflicient light without throwing rays of light above the level of the headlight, and which is so designed that the headlight can be made of substantially the same shape or outline as the headlights now generally used on automobiles.

Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical sectional view of a headlight reflector constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. '2 is a front elevational view of same; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the reflector shown in the drawings, which represents the preferred from of my invention, the upper portion 1 of the reflector is concaved or substantially semiparabolic-shaped, or, in other words, is of substantially the same form as the upper half of a reflector of the type now generally used on automobile headlights. The lower portion of my improved reflector comprises by the lines 3 in Fig. 3.

two vertically-disposed reflecting surfaces 2, preferably flat, and arranged at an angle to each other so that they form a substantially V-shaped reflecting portion. The lighting unit A, which may consist of an electric lamp bulb, a gas burner, or other suitable source of light, is preferably arranged at the apex of the V-shaped portion of the reflector and in proximity to the point where the upper end of the apex of said portion merges into the upper portion 1 of the reflector, as shown in Fig. l. The rays of light from the lighting unit that strike the concaved upper portion 1 of the reflector are projected forwardly and also downwardly, as indicated by the lines .1 in Fig. 1, and the rays of light that strike the vertically-disposed surfaces 2 are projected forwardly and spread laterally, as indicated The lower portion of the reflector also comprises an upwardlyinclined reflecting surface that is arranged intermediate the vertically-disposcrl reflecting surfaces 2, said reflecting surface 3 being formed in such a manner that the downward rays of light that strike same will be reflected upwardly onto the upper portion 1 of the reflector. and thence projected forwardly and downwardly, as indicated by the lilies inFig. 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and L the bottom reflecting surface 3 slopes upwardly and forwardly from the lower end of the apex of the V-shaped portion formed by the two vertically-disposed surfaces '3 and terminates flush with the front edge of the concaved upper portion 1 and with the front edges of the vertically-disposed reflecting surfaces .2, said bottom reflecting surface l merging into the vertically-disposcd reflecting surfaces 2. By forming the reflector in this manner I utilize all of the rays from the lighting unit, as there are no portions or surfaces on the reflector that absor light.

\Vhile I prefer to provide the reflector with an upwardly-inclined bottom reflecting surface 3 that serves to catch some of the rays and reflect them upwardly onto the top portion of the reflector, this bottom reflecting surface 3 is not absolutely essential to the successful operation of my improved reflector.

My reflector differs from the reflector that is now generally used on automobile headlights, in that the lower portion'of the re flector is. not provided with a concaved p llo semi parabolical shaped reflecting surface that will project the rays of light upwardly, and thus produce an intense glare in ahigher horizontal plane than the horizontal plane in which the reflector lies. In my improved reflector the lower portion of the reflector comprises two vertically-disposed reflecting surfaces that diverge from the source of light and which serve merely to project the rays forwardly and spread them laterally. In the preferred form of my invention, as herein shown, however, the bottom portion of the reflector comprises an additional reflecting surface 3 so that all of the rays from the lighting unit will be utilized, but this additional reflecting surface 3 is so formed that it serves merely to reflect the rays upwardly onto the top portion 1 without projecting said rays forwardly.

A reflector of the construction herein illustrated can be'used in an automobile headlight of the same general shape and outline as the headlights now generally used on automobiles. Of course, the lower por-' tion of the lamp in which the reflector is used differs slightly in outline from the form of lamp now generally used on automobiles, but the general effect of the lamp is the same, in that the upper half of same is concaved. While a reflector of the type herein described is particularly adapted for use on vehicle lamps, it can be used with any type of lamp where it is essential or desirable to project the rays of light forwardly without causing an intense glare above the level of the lamp.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A reflector for lamps, comprising an upper concaved portion that projects the rays forwardly and downwardly, a lower portion comprising vertically-disposed reflecting surfaces that merge into said concaved portion at the horizontal axis of the source of light and arranged at an angle with relation thereto, and a bottom reflecting surface that reflects the downward rays upwardly onto the upper portion of the reflector. D

2. A reflector for vehicle lamps, comprlsing a concaved upper portion that throws the light rays forwardly and downwardly from the source of light, a bottom reflecting surface designed in such a manner that the downward rays from the source of light which strike same will be reflected upwardly onto said concaved upper portion, and means that projects some of the rays forwardly and spreads them laterally.

8. A reflector for lamps, comprising a top reflecting surface that projects the rays forwardly and downwardly, a bottom reflecting surface that reflects the downward rays from the source of light upwardly onto said top reflecting surface, and side reflecting surfaces that project the rays forwardly and laterally, said side reflecting surfaces merging into said top reflecting surface at the horizontal axis of the source of light.

4. A reflector for lamps, comprising a top reflecting surface that projects the rays forwardly and downwardly, a bottom reflecting surface'that reflects the downward rays from the source of light upwardly onto said top reflecting surface, and side reflecting surfaces that cause the rays to be projected forwardly and diverged laterally, said side reflecting surfaces being arranged intermediate said .top and bottom reflecting surfaces and diverging from the source of light.

5. A reflector for lamps, comprising a concaved upper portion, a bottom reflecting surface that inclines upwardly and forwardly from the source of light, and two vertically-disposed side reflecting surfaces that diverge from the source of light and which merge into said upper portion and into said bottom reflecting surface.

6. A reflector for headlights, comprising a semi-parabolical-shaped reflecting surface that constitutes the upper half of the reflector, two vertically -'disposed reflecting surfaces arranged at an angle to each other and diverging from the source of light, and a bottom reflecting surface that inclines upwardly and forwardly from the source of light and which cooperates with said vertically-disposed reflecting surfaces to form the lower-half of the reflector.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this twenty-fourth day of February 1916.

ERNEST F. \VIEDERHOLDT.

Witnesses:

\VELLs L. CHURCH. GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

